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M A R I N E R E C O R D Open Access
First records of the sponge crab Dromia
personata (Brachyura) in the Netherlands
and its historical findings in the North Sea
Godfried W. N. M. van Moorsel
1*
, Floris P. Bennema
2
and Reindert Nijland
3
Abstract
Only a few records exist of the sponge crab Dromia personata in the North Sea. Most records are in local languages,
and have limited availability. On 11 August 2016, D. personata was found by divers in the Eastern Scheldt, a former
estuary in the south-western part of the Netherlands. In the months to follow, at least four other individuals were
observed by divers at the same and nearby locations. This paper lists these and former records in the North Sea. The
distribution pattern, and the possible migration of the sponge crab in relation to environmental conditions such as
seawater temperature are discussed, as well as the crab’s use of the non-native sponge Celtodoryx ciocalyptoides.
Keywords: Sponge crab, Dromia personata, North Sea, Southern species, Distribution expansion
Background
Geographic distribution: Dromia personata (Linnaeus,
1758) is known from the Mediterranean Sea, and in the
East Atlantic Ocean from Western Sahara, Ascension,
Azores and Canary Islands, north to Anglesey (Wales),
the Clyde Sea (Scotland) and the English Channel. North
Sea records are rare (see below and Fig. 1). Records from
São Tomé, Senegal, Cabo Verde and Madeira and pos-
sibly also St. Helena refer to Dromia marmorea Forrest,
1974 (Christiansen 1969; Manning and Holthuis 1981;
Wolff 2002; Ashton et al. 2017; Allen 1967; González
2016; González et al. 2017; Araújo and Wirtz 2015; De
Grave et al. 2017). Morphological differences between D.
personata and D. marmorea are discussed in Manning &
Holthuis (1981). In British waters, the sponge crab has
been recorded infrequently. In Ireland, the first speci-
mens of D. personata were caught only recently, in 2010
and 2011 (Quigley and O'Donovan 2013).
Only a few records of sponge crabs from the North
Sea exist (Fig. 1). In 1824, two specimens were found at
Billingsgate Market (London) among oysters from Whit-
stable Bay (Anonymous 1824); this was the first record
from the United Kingdom (Bell 1853). Another speci-
men was caught in 1880 ‘in deep water of the open sea’
off the Belgian coast (Pelseneer 1881). In 1912, D. perso-
nata was caught in the vicinity of the ‘Galloper’light
vessel off the Essex coast (Patterson 1913). Leloup
(1941) lists a record from 1937 near the Sandettie Bank
at 19–20 fathoms (35–37 m). This bank lies north of
Calais, in what is now the French part of the North Sea.
A footnote in Leloup (1941) mentions two more speci-
mens, also from 1937, caught at the White Bank, the
now submerged west bank of the Elbe glacial valley. Al-
though this area is 170 km west of Denmark, it lies just
east of 6° latitude, and was therefore considered to be-
long to the Danish fauna (Wolff 2002). The rectangular
area specified in Leloup (1941) presently lies in the Ger-
man part of the North Sea (Fig. 1) and is roughly equi-
distant from the Dutch, German and Danish coast. The
designation of the latitude in the footnote in Leloup
(1941) in multiples of 15′suggests a possible error in
the eastern longitude: it is probably not E 6°3′but E 6°
30′. This also better fits the location of the White Bank,
at approximately N 55°10′and E 6°10′. The last speci-
fied site in the North Sea, in 1953, is the Fairy Bank
(Adema 1981) in the French part of the North Sea. In
addition, Ingle (1983) mentions the Wash and Thames
as North Sea locations. The latter record is possibly also
included in Adema (1991), which shows three locations
at the English North Sea coast, off Kent and Norfolk.
Leloup & Gills (1965) report D. personata from shrimp
* Correspondence: vanmoorsel@ecosub.nl
1
ecosub, P.O. Box 126, 3940 AC Doorn, The Netherlands
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
© The Author(s). 2017 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to
the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver
(http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
van Moorsel et al. Marine Biodiversity Records (2017) 10:28
DOI 10.1186/s41200-017-0129-7
catches during 1949–1964, in a 25 km long strip inside
the 5-mile (9 km) zone from the Belgian coast between
Middelkerke and Wenduine. They call the crab as being
‘assez rare’, the one but lowest of their four abundance
categories, which suggests the catch of at least several
specimens. Coordinates of the above-mentioned historic
North Sea records are listed in Table 1.
Methods
New records in the Netherlands emerged by observa-
tions made via SCUBA diving. The first Dutch record
of Dromia personata was posted on 16 August 2016 on
the internet (NatureToday.com) and prompted other
biologists and diving naturalists to search for the spe-
cies. This resulted in findings that were sometimes ac-
companied by underwater photos (Fig. 2) or video. As
such, this paper shows the valuable contribution of citi-
zen science (Thiel et al. 2014). Due to its sponge cover
D. personata is well camouflaged, but once found it
was easily recognized and could not be confused with
other brachyurans.
Results
In 2016, several individuals of Dromia personata were
found in the Eastern Scheldt, and these constituted
the first records in the Netherlands. One was found
on 11 August 2016, and was taken from its location
(Zeelandbrug: 51° 37′44″N, 3° 54′49″E). Subse-
quently, at least 12 times between 14 August and 30
October 2016, D. personata was recorded (but not
collected) again at the same location. The maximum
number of sponge crabs observed per dive was two.
Consequently, a minimum number of three individ-
uals must have been present at the Zeelandbrug. The
relatively high number of records at this location may
reflect the popularity of this dive site. In addition,
two more sponge crabs were found in the Eastern
Scheldt, at Strijenham (51° 31′17″N, 4° 08′28″E)
and Goesse Sas (51° 32′32″N, 3° 55′52″E). Con-
sideringthedistancebetweentheselocationsandthe
timing it is highly unlikely that these records repre-
sented the same individuals. Therefore, a total of at
least five sponge crabs must have been present in the
Eastern Scheldt in 2016.
Fig. 1 Records of Dromia personata in the southern North Sea. Locations of records in the southern North Sea with boundaries of national
continental flats and year of catch or observation where available. Grey symbols from Adema (1991). Left part of rectangle in the German part of
the North Sea is the area of two catches in 1937 as mentioned in Leloup (1941); whole rectangle (including interrupted line) is probable area of
occurrence (see text)
van Moorsel et al. Marine Biodiversity Records (2017) 10:28 Page 2 of 5
Table 1 Dromia personata. Historic catches and recent observations in the North Sea
Date Name in reference Location Depth n Sex Carapace width
(x length)
Reference Co-ordinate Remark
NE
1824 D. mediterranea,
Leach
Whitstable Bay Anonymous
1824
Found among Oysters from
Whitstable Bay at Billingsgate
market, London.
Communicated by Mr. J.E. Gray
and presented at June 22, 1824
1880 D. vulgaris Edw. deep water in open sea off
the Belgian coast
deep 1 almost
110 mm
Pelseneer
1881
??
late Dec. 1912 D. vulgaris ‘Galloper’light-vessel Patterson
1913
51° 43,9’001° 57,8’Taken by the Lowestoft
sailing-trawler ‘Giralda’, skipper
J. Stead.
Specimen presented by Mr.
F.C. Cook. Co-ordinate from
internet
29–05-1937 D. vulgaris Milne
Edwards
Sandettie bank (SW-end) 19–20 fathom
=35–37 m
1♀50 × 40 mm Leloup 1941 51° 11′30”001° 52’Dredged. Sandettie Bank rises
up to −20 m, so catch must
have been next to this bank.
Specimen presented by Cyriel
Pecceu, Nieuwpoort
June 1937 D. vulgaris Milne
Edwards
White Bank ~30 m 2 ♀40 × 35 &
85 × 65 mm
Leloup 1941
footnote
NW 55° 15′
SE 54° 30’
006° 00′
006° 3′
Reported by letter 22 June,
1937 by Cyriel Pecceu,
Nieuwpoort
1949 to 1964 D. vulgaris H. Milne-
Edwards
within 5 nautical miles from
the Belgian coast between
Middelkerke & Wenduine
>1? Leloup and
Gilis 1965
Bycatch experimental shrimp
fishery.
abundance cat. (3) = ‘assez
rare’
16–12-1953 D. personata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
approximately near Fairy
bank
1♀Adema 1981,
1991
NW 51° 24′00”
SE 51° 21′10”
002° 18′30″
002° 22′10″
In collection Royal Belgian
Institute of Natural Sciences,
Brussels
?D. personata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
2 locations Kent coast and
1 location Norfolk coast
Wash and Thames
Adema 1991:
map 1
Ingle 1983
11–08 to 30–10
2016
D. personata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
16 records at 3 location in
Eastern Scheldt,
Netherlands
3–13 m ≥5♂&♀~ 55 mm this study see text
09–04 to 02–08
2017
D. personata
(Linnaeus, 1758)
3 records at 2 location in
Eastern Scheldt,
Netherlands
4–7m ≥2 this study see text
van Moorsel et al. Marine Biodiversity Records (2017) 10:28 Page 3 of 5
In 2017, at least two individuals of Dromia personata
were sighted in the Eastern Scheldt. On 9 April, a mori-
bund sponge crab without cover was found at the Zee-
landbrug and on 27 July and 2 August, a sponge crab
was seen at Schelphoek (51° 41′02″N, 003° 49′07″E).
This indicates that the local occurrence is not limited to
a single-season event.
The carapace width of the first crab found was
55 mm, and the other crabs were of similar size. Both
sexes were encountered; the females were non-
ovigerous. In 2016, all sponge crabs were found with a
cover of either the native sponge Halichondria panicea,
or the non-indigenous sponge Celtodoryx ciocalyptoides.
The crab of 27 July 2017 carried the soft coral Alcyo-
nium digitatum on its back. As far as we know, only
sponges and tunicates have been recorded as natural
cover material. Therefore, this is the first case of a
sponge crab with an alcyonacean cover. During the 2016
recording period, seawater temperature was 20 °C in
August, dropping to 13 °C at the end of October.
The 2016 and 2017 Dutch records are summarized
in Table 1. Detailed information is provided in
Additional file 1.
Discussion
Almost 200 years after the first record of Dromia perso-
nata in the North Sea, about 10 records are known from
this continental sea. Approximate coordinates of catch
locations could be deduced from the literature for only 4
specimens, the last one from 1953, which is 63 years be-
fore the present records. The discovery of at least 5 indi-
viduals, both males and females, at three locations in the
Eastern Scheldt in 2016 constitutes a relatively large
addition to both the number of records and the total
number of individuals.
Considering the rarity of this species in the North Sea,
finding at least 5 sponge crabs in such a short time
frame is remarkable. On the other hand, finding several
individuals within 1 year has happened before: in 1824
two specimens were found, and in 1937 3 specimens
were reported. In Ireland, the first two specimens were
found only 8 months apart in 2010 and 2011 (Quigley
and O'Donovan 2013). Possibly, this species shows rapid
expansions in certain years only.
Because Dromia personata is a Lusitanian species that
reaches the limit of its northern distribution in the
southern North Sea, its presence may be expected in
years with high water temperatures. In recent decades,
seawater temperatures have increased in the area and
several species have demonstrated a northward shift in
distribution (van der Kooij et al. 2016; Franke and
Gutow 2004; Hiscock et al. 2004). Therefore, the chance
of encountering the sponge crab in the Netherlands may
also be increasing. This possibility is supported by other
northern records of D. personata in the last decade: the
first two Irish records (Quigley and O'Donovan 2013),
and an increased occurrence in the Bristol Channel
(Ashton et al. 2017).
Moreover, environmental conditions in the Eastern
Scheldt may increasingly favour the presence of this spe-
cies. In 1986, the Eastern Scheldt barrier was completed.
This still allows a tidal regime, but tidal currents are di-
minished and light attenuation is decreased. The hard-
substratum ecosystem has changed dramatically, notably
due to the alien Japanese oyster Magallana gigas. Also,
sponges and tunicates, used as camouflage by the sponge
crab, are now omnipresent. Sponge crabs were observed
not only bearing the native breadcrumb sponge Hali-
chondria panicea but also the non-native sponge Celto-
doryx ciocalyptoides. In recent years, thick layers of C.
ciocalyptoides have developed into one of the most
abundant sponges in the Eastern Scheldt (pers. obs.).
Therefore, this sponge offers a favourable resource for
crabs in search of cover material.
The distribution of Dromia personata suggests migra-
tion into the North Sea from the English Channel, either
as larvae or as adults. As the last two pairs of the crab’s
pereiopods are used for sponge-attachment, only two pairs
of legs are used for locomotion. Although D. personata is
able to walk at considerable speed over short distances if
necessary (pers. obs.), its capacity to walk over long dis-
tances, for example from the English Channel to the East-
ern Scheldt, is probably limited. The importance of larval
transport should therefore not be underestimated. In re-
cent years, several wind farms have been built in the Bel-
gian part of the North Sea. The seabed around the wind
turbines has been covered with stones. Perhaps these areas
are used for settlement of sponge-crab larvae. As such,
they may function as stepping stones between the English
Channel and the Eastern Scheldt. However, underwater
observations and catches, preferably of juveniles, have not
yet been made to confirm this.
Fig. 2 Dromia personata in situ, 6 October 2016, Zeelandbrug,
Eastern Scheldt. Underwater photo by Mick Otten
van Moorsel et al. Marine Biodiversity Records (2017) 10:28 Page 4 of 5
Finally, the appearance of the sponge crab may also be
related to accidental introduction via mariculture, but this
scenario is considered unlikely, due to absence or rarity in
donor areas, and probably low survival during transport.
Conclusions
At least five individuals of Dromia personata were found in
the Eastern Scheldt in the Netherlands in 2016 and 2017.
These findings extend the known distribution range of this
crab species and suggest a sudden increase in abundance.
Additional file
Additional file 1: Sponge crab (Dromia personata): Observations in the
Eastern Scheldt, Netherlands, in 2016 and 2017. (XLSX 22 kb)
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Glen Biscop, Marianne Ligthart, Marco Vinke, Carl
Verlinde, Martin Gruson, Stefan Verheyen, René van Zweden, Lilian
Schoonderwoerd, Paul & Maria Engels, Kris’na Wouters, Mick Otten, Hans
Vulink, Maurits van Kosteren and Astrid Vis for providing data and agreeing
to its use in this manuscript. Furthermore, we thank Danny Eibye-Jacobsen,
who kindly provided a pdf of Wolff 2002. We gratefully acknowledge the
help of Susan Hewitt in checking writing style, spelling and grammar.
Funding
This study was self-funded.
Availability of data and materials
All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published
article and its supplementary information files.
Authors’contributions
FB and GvM made the initial observation leading to this report. GvM, FB and
RN collected further observations, analysed the data and wrote the manuscript.
All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Authors’information
GvM is an independent marine ecologist and consultant. FB is a biologist
focussing on marine ecology and research of historic data to reconstruct the
composition of marine communities before intensive fisheries took their toll.
RN is a molecular microbiologist at the Marine Animal Ecology group at
Wageningen UR, with a strong interest in Dutch crustaceans. All three authors
are avid scuba-divers and have logged hundreds of hours underwater in Dutch
coastal waters.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable
Consent for publication
All persons contributing to this manuscript have consented that their data
and personal details will be published.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Publisher’sNote
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional affiliations.
Author details
1
ecosub, P.O. Box 126, 3940 AC Doorn, The Netherlands.
2
Vincent van
Goghstraat 88, 8932 LK Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
3
Marine Animal
Ecology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen,
The Netherlands.
Received: 4 August 2017 Accepted: 30 October 2017
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